These is one of the streets on the 16th section of the city of Yerevan.
It is considered a suburb. Every morning, starting around 6:30, people
slowly get out on the street, waiting for buses or mini buses to go to
work. In the foreground many home made garages are lined up by the residents
of the adjacent high-rise apartment buildings. These were done after the
Armenian independence. People took it upon themselves to make things a
little better with what ever means they could.

There is a mechanic shop and a parking lot across the street.

Alley walk

A woman walking in the alley behind Erebuni Hotel, UNICEF office is
nearby.

Notice the satellite dish to your left on the balcony.

American Armenian University

Front view from the street.

Ani Plaza Hotel

Front view from the Sayat-Nova Street. One of the nicer hotels in Yerevan.

Apartment Building

One look tells a thousand stories of the life in Yerevan for the average
person. One can notice by looking at the walls that nothing is repaired
or maintained. People try to keep cool in the summer by hanging sheets
outside on their balconies.

Ararat

Looking out the window on the out from Yerevan in the airplane. The
last glance of the Armenian symbol.

Another view of Mount Ararat

The majesty of this mountain is felt from Armenia.

Last view before Take off

Aerial view near Yerevan

Another aerial view

Farm lands from above

Aerial view of city

Astafian Hotel Night Club

Across the street from Yerevan Hotel on Abovyan Street.

View of Astafian from across street.

Kino Moskva (Cinema Moscow) to the right. Yerevan Hotel to the left.

Walking left on Abovyan will get you to Hanrapetutyan Square.

An old building

a farm house in the city? or some kind of a shop?!

Stairway to an old house

Nothing has been painted for years.

High rise apartment buildings

suburb of Yerevan.

16th section apartment buildings

To the left is the remnant of a circular medical complex that was supposed
to be state of the art when it was left half finished/unfinished after
the collapse of the Soviet Empire. The other half of the building has
no outside wall. Cranes sit in the middle, idle for years. Most buildings
here as well as other parts of Yerevan need major repairs and maintenance.
Most have only one elevator working. In some places top floors don't have
water because of broken pumps or pipes. They have to come down and take
water from outside faucet. Winter times could be very hard.

Buses in Yerevan

Some are dual fuel, Gasoline and natural gas, some are electric. Rates
are cheap.

Bus with gas canisters on the top.

Wires on top of the streets are for electric city trains (tramways)
and electric buses.

Buildings in the background show similar things, hung sheets and need
for repair.

Most people do not have air conditioning. In summer the temperature
gets real high.

Outdoor cafe

One of many all over Yerevan, specially near the opera house and Hanrapetutyan
Square.

Another outdoor cafe

At the footsteps of Armenian Memorial Complex.

Charlie Pizza Restaurant

A beautifully decorated restaurant with good food on Abovyan St. near
Ani Plaza Hotel.

Charlie Restaurant

The restaurant has sidewalk sitting. Very nice setting.

Little houses

Rooftops are mostly visible with a yard in the middle.

Lone dog

On the street and on its own. One of many dogs that have
been abandoned because of hardship, specially during early 90's while
there was tremendous suffering because of lack of electricity, Azeri blockade
and so on.

The same dog

Staring aimlessly and visibly unhappy near the main hospital in Yerevan.

Complex across Erebuni

Residents of the building are mostly the earthquake victims and refugees
of Azerbaijan.

The garage

Man taking his car out of his home made garage in the morning.

Garbage truck

standing in the alley.

Erebuni Hotel gate

At the "Hrabarak" Hanrapetutyan Square. Erebuni is to the
left. Once outside there are offices all around for phone, fax, e-mail,
Internet as well as a post office.

Balcony

Clothing hanging out to dry in the balcony. Sheets covering the windows.

Old house

Kids sitting on the bench.

Old house

Different view

Old house

On the way to Vernisaj. This property wall was built by the owners using
rocks.

Armenian National Museum

In Hanrapetutyan Square. This is the building, in front of which stages
are set for celebrations, shows and concerts. The museum includes pictures
as well as historical artifacts.

Hrabarak (Hanrapetutyan Square)

Cars and taxis are parked to the left. Also to the left are the "shatervans"
fountains. In the middle and to the left of the streets are many outdoor
coffee shops and restaurants, all have beautiful settings. Walk down the
street, follow on through Khorurdarani Street until you reach Grigor Lusavorich
Street. There to your left you will find the French Embassy which is a
very beautiful building that used to belong to a famous artist.

Armenia Hotel is visible. Front right.

3rd district or section of Yerevan

Main square in that area. In the middle is the subway station, water
fountains and cafes. All around and down in the subway station area are
shops. At night there are hundreds of people who venture out here for
walk, ice cream coffee or just to meet and talk to friends.

Hrabarak-3rd section

Hrabarak-3rd section

Hrabarak-3rd section

Hrabarak-3rd section

Hanrapetutyan Square

Taxi on a break

At the hrabarak

. Some of these taxis work 12 to 14 hour shifts.

Another view of the hrabarak

Government building up front where there is stage preparation for the
anniversary of the independence.

Hrabarak

View from front of the Erebuni hotel gate. It seems to be empty but
most the times there are plenty of cars around.

Hrabarak

right side of the picture above. Notice the lack of lines on the streets.

Yerevan/Astafian/Kino Moskva circle

Kino Moskva

Even if you don't want to see a movie, just go and see the place, it's
beautiful, sit inside and have a coffee.

Kino Moskva

one more view

A lift in need of repair.

Almost all the elevators in the city are in need of repair and maintenance.
This one like many others had it's decorative wood frame removed for heating
purposes during the bad years of early 90's. Wood hand rails were used
also to heat rooms and keep the family warm during those harsh years.
None were replaced.

Photographed by:

Photograph taken on: 10/13/2000

Matenadaran

This is the place to find old (hundreds and over a thousand years old)
books in Armenian, mostly religious books, bibles. It is definitely worth
a visit. Although the road to it used to be cleaner and the trees used
to be trimmed years ago.

Matenadaran

City view from top of the steps.

Matenadaran

This is at the footstep of Matenadaran. Statue is of Mesrob Mashtots.

Inside Matenadaran

School children paying a visit to look at the books and listen to the
narration from their teachers.

Open market (vernisaj)

Farmers selling their fruits and vegetables on a sidewalk in one of
the streets. Scenes like this are plenty. The fruits and vegetables are
outstanding. The prices very cheap but even with low prices some can't
afford them. Notice the plastic bags are from the US and Iran.

Another view of an open market (vernisaj)

Notice how richly colored everything is.

The Opera house

The place used to be the center for high quality operas and ballets. There
are still shows here but not like the old days. Nearby are outdoor cafes
and open park space. Notice the stage that is setup for music in the center.

Young people, mostly students

standing on the street and talking. A very common scene specially near
the universities.

People walking on the street

To the right side is a barbershop/hair salons.

To the left one can see the wires inside the light post without cover.

Near Opera house

The center stage, people walking and little rental cars for children
amusement.

Early morning

Two men waiting for the bus.

Telephone booths

The old style public phones. They are not coin operated but jeton operated
which are sold in stores.

Closer look at phone booths

Taking off from the airport

Empty pool

This is a pool near opera house. It's usually full of water for the
geese (right). At this time there were no water in the pool and the geese
were sitting down waiting for the water.

This street to Vernisaj

The narrow street that goes to Vernisaj "The open market"
not to be missed by the visitor.

Another view of Astafian

Notice the Pepsi delivery truck on the left side delivering Pepsi.

Street with shatervans in the center

Cars are parked at right and left. Many of the buildings are government
offices.

A view of a street

Continuous running water on the street as is visible in the middle right
section. The water never stops, there are no valves controlling the flow.
In a city with water shortage there are many places that have uncontrolled
wasteful runaway water.

A street scene

with a kiosk on the sidewalk, selling drinks, cigarettes, etc. They
usually stay open for very long hours.

Street scene

rails visible in the center of the street for tramways and no visible
lines to separate car lanes.

Another street scene

Another street scene

People cross the street from anywhere. Cars usually don't stop for
pedestrians which makes it even more challenging to cross the street.
One wonders what do the elderly do?

Street vendor

Someone selling little fruit he has by setting up just a table.

Shatervans street

near the hrabarak.

Abovyan Street

Looking at an apartment building on Abovyan Street.

A bar on one of the streets

Abovyan Street

Woman waiting for taxi.

Streets

A man hanging some red flags for decorations. An older woman trying
to cross the streets with her hands full.

Looking at Amiryan Street

Electric buses on the road.

Hrabarak at the 3rd district

A very beautiful Russian restaurant

on one of the streets near the hrabarak.

A store

to the left. In the middle are card operated public phones.

Streets

Street vendors

Selling their goods on the side walks, putting their fruits, eggs and
vegetables on cardboard boxes, waiting for customers.

Crossing the street

People looking for the cars to pass so they could cross the street safely.

Sunrise

Beautiful sky early in the morning over the city.

Inside a taxi

with cracked front windshield.

Almost all taxis have broken windshield.

Inside another taxi

going around the city costs anywhere from 500 dram to 2000 dram.

Red light

Waiting at the traffic red light. It is very hard to see the red light
for the foreigner. Also noteworthy is the fact that the lights change
from red to yellow then to green!

Young university students

crossing the street.

Vernisaj

People shopping in Vernisaj, where vendors start setting up shop around
nine in the morning.

Vernisaj

Many families make their meager living by selling their art in any shape
and form to the tourists here.

Vernisaj

Many of the works are hand made that take several hours to do such as
miniatures, some are made using machines to polish the beautiful stones.
Some are imported from Russia.

Vernisaj

Stoneware are very popular. Many rings, watches, key chains and monuments
are fabricated with them. Khachkars are carved from wood and are very
beautiful but more expensive. Also backgammons could be found here carved
from solid wood, absolutely beautiful pieces but expensive.

Hilltop

Looking at the city from hilltop.

Communication offices

to the left.

A hilltop view of Yerevan

on a hazy day. On a day after rain everything looks sharp and beautiful
and visibility is excellent.

Yerevan Hotel at night

At night the whole area looks very beautiful.

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